BUENA SALUD PARA AHORA Y MAÑANA

Buena Salud Para Ahora Y Mañana was, started in September of 2007 sponsored by the, “The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.” Primary focus is to reach the low income Hispanic youth from the community. While ethnicity alone is not a risk factor for health disparities, some underlying social and economic conditions are, such; language barriers, higher rates of poverty, limited access to care, and cultural barriers. These factors may increase risk of Hispanics to “fall between the cracks” with respect to accessing health and nutrition information or health care services.

With this project we target the youth and promote nutrition education, health education, and additional opportunities for physical exercise. Examples of project activities include:Martial arts instruction, Zumba (Latin infused aerobic dance), health education/screenings, and Nutrition healthy cooking demonstrations that are interactive. Our primary objective is that participants increase their knowledge of physical exercise, and also will be able to prepare a healthy meal.

GCI’s Alta Vista Charter High School, Belton High School, and GCI’s Calmecac after school program are the three programs selected for participation of the “Buena Salud Para Ahora y Mañana Programs”.

GCI’s, Alta Vista Charter High School takes a holistic approach to education and delivers a host of service and intervention to help students succeed is why we bring in health programs. The Alta Vista Charter High School is an educational program that serves 200 at-risk Latino and urban students age 14-18 at our facility located at 1722 Holly. The school targets students that are limited English speaking and academically behind, its test scores are among the highest of Kansas City’s public high schools.

GCI’s Calmecac Youth Program is a year round after school and summer program youth diversion program for kids in grades K-8. This program operates out of GCI’s main building. The primary activities of the project are after school academic support, diversion activities, life skills training, service learning and leadership development.

GCI’s Centro de Bienvenida (Belton Missouri) program provides an array of comprehensive educational, recreational, and social services targeting families in Belton,Missouri. With this health initiative we are able to target those youth in Belton with proposed heatlh education, and physical exercise opportunities.